1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for updating passwords used to connect devices to wireless access points, such as routers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for automatically updating passwords used by clients to access a wireless access point.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wireless networking is increasingly popular in homes and businesses. This is especially true in environments where installing network cables between devices is difficult due to some building and home designs. In addition, computer users, especially laptop or notebook computer users, often want to connect to a computer network, such as the Internet, without being confined to a particular physical location.
Wireless networking often allows a user to roam 100 feet or more from a “wireless access point” or “WAP.” The user's information handling system, such as a handheld device (e.g., a PDA, a music player, etc.), or a notebook/laptop computer includes a wireless network adapter or card that wirelessly transmits data to and receives data from other wireless network devices. Many wireless devices are built according to various standards, such as the IEEE 802.11 standards. The type of standard that a device uses dictates the range of other devices with which it can communicate.
A wireless access point (WAP or AP) is a device that “connects” wireless communication devices together to create the wireless network. The WAP is usually connected to a wired network, and can relay data between devices on each side. Many WAPs can be connected together to create a larger network that allows “roaming.” In contrast, a network where the client devices manage themselves is called an ad-hoc network. A router is a network device that connects two similar networks that use the same network path. In a home or small business environment, a router often connects the user's local area network (LAN) to a broadband network connection, such as a cable modem, that, in turn, connects to an Internet Service Provider (ISP), thus giving any device on the local area network access to the Internet. Some routers include wireless technology that allows these routers, referred to as wireless routers, to also serve as Wireless Access Points. As used herein, a “Wireless Access Point” or “WAP” includes both traditional Wireless Access Points as well as wireless routers and any other device that facilitates the wireless connection of two or more devices.
While wireless networking offers users increased mobility and flexibility, it also challenges users by potentially increasing security risks. The wireless network often extends a hundred or more feet outside of the user's home or office environment. Others with wireless devices are able to connect to the user's wireless network unless the user secures the network. To address this security requirement, most WAPs provide a password mechanism. An administrator sets a password in the WAP and also provides the password to each client device that will be using the WAP. Traditionally, providing the password to the client devices required the administrator or user of the device to open a configuration panel on the device and enter the password. The WAP is configured to only communicate with devices that know the password. The WAP checks data packets it receives over the wireless network to see if they are encrypted using the password. If a packet is not encrypted using the password it is rejected. Likewise, packets wirelessly transmitted from the WAP to devices on the wireless network are encrypted using the password. In this manner, a snooper cannot communicate with the wireless network without obtaining the password.
While encrypting data sent over a wireless network helps keep snoopers out of the network, it presents a maintenance challenge. To ensure security, many security experts suggest changing passwords on a regular basis. Using a traditional wireless network, this requires changing the password at the WAP as well as the password used by each of the client devices. If the administrator or user forgets to change the password in one of the devices, that device will no longer be able to connect to the wireless network. This challenge is exacerbated when the number of wireless devices is large. Changing all the passwords on a larger wireless network can often take an extensive amount of time. In addition, with a large number of devices, the chance that one or more devices will not be updated is increased. Because of these challenges, administrators of wireless networks often neglect to update the password used for the wireless network as frequently as suggested by experts, thus increasing the chance that a snooper will obtain the password and surreptitiously access the wireless network.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method that provides for password changes to be proliferated throughout a wireless network. What is further needed is a system and method that provides an expiration time after which the new password is no longer proliferated to client devices.